Various types of wheeled, foot vehicles, for example, roller skates, roller skis, skateboards and the like, are known in the art. It is often desirable to provide foot vehicles with means for controlling the movement of the vehicles, for example, braking means to allow deceleration or stopping, or means for preventing backward movement of the vehicles. For example, the Ormiston U.S. Pat. No. 1,402,010, the Ryan et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,986 and the Bardy U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,672 disclose roller skates which include means for preventing reverse rotation of the rollers and consequently rearward or backward movement of the skates. Similarly, the Altorfer et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,541 discloses roller skis including a reverse motion blocking device.
Various braking means for use with wheeled or roller foot vehicles are also known. The Turnbull U.S. Pat. No. 321,261 discloses roller skates which include a brake lever arranged at the back of the heel of the skate. The lever on one skate may be depressed using the toe portion of the other skate to apply a brake shoe to one or more rollers of the first skate, resulting in a braking action. The Banks et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,655 and the Burton U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,234 disclose skateboards including one or more brake shoes which are forced into contact with a wheel of the skateboard by depressing a pedal attached to the skateboard. The Andersen et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,596 discloses a roller ski provided with a leg operated braking means in which braking rods are brought into contact with rollers of the ski by depressing an upwardly extending rod. The Kreis U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,705 discloses a ski scooter including a braking device which is actuated by pulling a brake lever with a ski stick. The brake lever is in turn connected with a brake shoe or the like. Although the braking means for skateboards are generally easily operable, brake means for paired foot vehicles, such as roller skates and roller skis, wherein each foot of the operator is attached to an individual skate or ski are often difficult to operate. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved braking means for paired, wheeled or roller, foot vehicles which allows easy operability by the operator.
It is also desirable to provide foot vehicles with means for retaining the user's foot in or on the vehicle and with ankle stabilizing means which accommodate movement. The Eriksson U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,492 discloses ankle stabilizing means. However, the disclosed ankle stabilizing means has a tendency to cause leg chafing and discomfort. Accordingly, there is also a need for an improved foot retaining and ankle stabilizing means for paired, wheeled or roller, foot vehicles which allows comfortable use by the operator.